Dust-guard.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1908.

H. G. LA FFERTYJ DUST GUARD. APPLIOATIQN FILED JUNE 11, 1907..

INVENTOR 2 C 122 [/23 W1 TNESSES 1w: mums PETERS cm, wusumnrcu. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. LAFFERTY, OF NEW CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

DUST-GUARD.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY O. LAFFERTY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Castle, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dust-Guards, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in dust guards, and the invention has for its object to provide an adjustable guard adapted to accommodate itself to the periphery of a spindle or axle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sectional guard having interlocking resiliently held sections.

To this end, I have devised a dust guard adapted to be used in connection with the ordinary type of journal box commonly employed in connection with rolling stock, the guard serving functionally to prevent dust and foreign matter from entering the j ournalbox and retarding or interfering with the rotation of the spindle or axle in said box.

The detailed construction entering into the invention will be presently described, illustrated and then specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the dust guard in position upon a spindle or the collar of an axle. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the guard partly in section. Fig. 3 the side elevation of the same, and Fig. 4: is a vertical sectional view taken on the line :cc of Fig. 2.

In the drawing 1 designates an axle having a wheel mounted thereon, said axle being j ournaled in a box 3, having a conventional form of guard opening 4.

The dust guard in accordance with this invention consists of a pair of sections 5 and a pair of sections 6, the sections of each pair opposing each other and the sections of one pair interlocking with the sections of the other pair owing to the providing of the abutting edges of the sections with grooves for receiving the tongue 7. The sections of one pair are independently movable with Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 11, 1907.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Serial No. 378,391.

respect to the sections of the other pair, that is to say, the sections are not rigidly connected together. The inner edges of each of the sections are formed in a segment shaped manner so that when one pair of sections is positioned in operative relation with respect to the other pair of sections a circular opening will be formed so that the guard can be mounted upon the axle. The inner edge of each of the sections is indicated by the reference character 9.

The outer-corners of the sections 5 are rounded, as at 10, and these sections, together with the sections 6, have their outer edges grooved, as at 11. The sections are held together by coiled springs 12, said springs being arranged at the rounded corners of the guard and connected together by wires 14. The springs 12 and the wires 14 he within the grooves 11 of the sections 5 and 6, and since the sections 5 are of greater area than the sections 6, the springs 12 will have a tendency to force the sections 6 outwardly, but when said guard is mounted upon the axle 1, the edges 9 of all of the sections will snugly fit said axle. The springs 12 while holding the sections in engagement with the axle, pers mit of said sections independently moving and adjusting themselves to the periphery of said axle.

It is obvious that a dust guard can be made of numerous sections, tongued and grooved and resiliently held together in a manner similar to the dust guard just described. For this reason, I do not care to confine myself as to the number of sections comprising the dust guard.

Various kinds of material can be used in the manufacture of the guards, but wood or Vulcanized fiber is preferably employed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: a

A dust guard comprising two pairs of sec tions, the sections of each pair opposing each other, each of said sections having a segment-shaped inner edge, means for connecting the sections together, said means permitting of an independent movement of each of the sections, the sections of one pair having their outer edges grooved and substantially straight, and each section of the other pair having the outer edge thereof for a portion of its length straight and each end rounded, extensible and contractible s rings mounted in the grooves at the rounde ends of said sections and means mounted in the grooves of the sections for connecting the springs to= gether.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY C. LAFFERTY. Witnesses:

' L. A. JoHNsToN, GEO. S. MILLER.- 

